Anyone know the answer?
Does the engine deck lid fan turn on only when the car is standing still? Or will it also activate above a certain temperature while the car is in motion?

 

I can only guess that the fan is temperature activated and unlikely to go on while the vehicle is in motion. Heat is drawn out pretty well while moving. Probably will go on in stop and go traffic.

 

Correct, it is temperature activated, moving or not.

 

So on a, somewhat, related note: is it better to open the engine compartment to bleed off the heat at a track day, or let the fans do it?

 

This is one of life's unanswerable questions, just like "Does the refrigerator light turn off when you close the door?"

 

With the lid closed the fan pulls air from the outside and pushes it down so that the heat from the headers, cats, etc. is used out under the car. Leaving the lid open, heat escapes by rising over the entire engine...so choose your poison - I've done it both ways. Some worry that leaving the lid open will cause the compartment light to drain the battery. I doubt that would ever occur since it turns off automatically after about 2 hours or you can open the lid and then arm the alarm and the light will turn off in about 20 minutes, hardly enough time to drain a battery.

 

i open the lid on hot days ... no way of telling which way is better

i figure convection helps a little and also reduces wear and stress on the fan/battery a weeny bit

 

^^^^ Same. Heat rises. Let physics do the work for you.
And on breezy days I think lid open would cool better too.

 

Where is the temp sender that initiates the deck lid fan? Since I installed my duck-tail the fan has yet to turn on after driving. I have confirmed it works and the wiring is correct and I have checked for any codes in the ECU.

 

I have a question regarding the fan but it is for a 997.1 model.

I can hear the engine compartment fan spinning when I enter my garage, but as soon as I turn off the ignition key, the fan stops. I usually open the lid to let the engine cool by convection, but I was wondering if other 997.1 owners have noticed the same.

Thanks
Yves

 

Yes, my car exhibits the same behavior.

 

The fan was running for a while after a run today on my car. I don't now what the sequence is that triggers it but it wasn't running after I turned it off and put it on the lift. A few minutes later I went back into the garage and it was on.

 

Were you running in a lot of stop and go traffic before parking it?

 

Not really. Drove about 30 miles running errands and made a couple of stops. Just normal stuff.

 

I have the Misha duck and after many "spirited" drives, I've heard the fan come on.